There are many ways of forming an image. Images can be formed through thermal transfer of dyes, inkjet applications, electrophotographic reproduction, and silver halide image development.
To form any printed image, the image is either chemically developed from film, or developed from an electronic signal generated from either a digital capture device, or scanning of a film. For thermal, inkjet, and electrophotographic prints, electronic signals indicating appropriate colors are used to produce cyan, magenta, yellow, and black color signals. These signals are then transmitted to a printer where colored material is transferred to a receiver element. A color hard copy is thus obtained that corresponds to the original image.
Thermal transfer prints are susceptible to re-transfer of colorants to adjacent surfaces, to discoloration by fingerprints because the colorants remain at the surface of the receiver element, and to scratches during imaging and handling. Heat can be used to drive the colorants deeper into the receiver element. Application of a protective overcoat on these types of color images is also known, and effectively reduces these problems. The protective overcoat can also provide improved light stability if a UV absorbing compound is incorporated in the formulation.
In a thermal dye transfer printing process, it is desirable for the finished thermal dye prints to compare favorably with color photographic prints in terms of image quality. The look and feel of the final color prints in vary dependent upon the surface texture and gloss. Typically, color photographic prints are available in surface finishes ranging from very smooth, high gloss to rougher, low glass matte finishes.
A clear protective layer can be transferred to a dye image to give the desired protection and finish as described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,855,666 (Simpson et al.), 7,018,772 (Simpson et al.), and 7,056,551 (Lobo et al.) and Reissue U.S. Pat. No. 38,496 (Sawamura et al). This clear protective layer can be provided as the sole transferrable material in a thermal transfer donor element, or it can be one of multiple patches, some of which include thermal transferable dyes. In either instance, there is a need to provide a clear protective layer that has optimal scratch resistance during manufacture, imaging, and handling of the thermal transfer donor element and the final image print.
There is a need to utilize the benefit of silicones to improve scratch resistance of the protective overcoats provided in image prints obtained from thermal transfer.